Via Gay Poltics Report:

• Bye bye, Bachmann; hello, Santorum
  LGBT advocates watching the Republican nominating process cheered Rep. Michele Bachmann’s sixth-place finish in the Iowa Caucus and exit from the presidential race, but Sen. Rick Santorum’s meteoric rise to nearly win in Iowa has many recalling his long record of anti-gay rhetoric and opposition to LGBT rights. "Michelle Bachmann has one of the worst records on LGBT issues of a presidential candidate in a long time. ... Unfortunately though, her exit from the race still leaves a field full of candidates who want constitutional amendments to ban marriage equality, a return to 'don’t ask, don’t tell' and continued workplace discrimination against LGBT people," said Michael Cole-Schwartz of the Human Rights Campaign. Washington Blade (1/4), On Top Magazine (1/5), USA TODAY (1/4)     

 

• Are social conservatives plotting to stop Romney?: Social conservative leaders are set to meet next week to discuss the presidential field; some invitees say they will strategize about ways to block Mitt Romney from becoming the Republican nominee. Other GOP insiders doubt that’s possible, suggesting it may be too late to unify behind a single alternative to Romney. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (1/4)     

• Santorum questioned about extreme views: Fox News host Bill O'Reilly asked Sen. Rick Santorum how he plans to defend his non-mainstream views on homosexuality, such as his desire to dissolve the existing marriages of same-sex couples. "I’m saying that this is gonna be put on you, that you’re an extremist man, out of the mainstream," O’Reilly said. Towleroad (1/5)